‘I’ve never cried at the end of a test before’: outstanding pair win the Winter Dressage Championships

A day after winning the straight Inter I title, Sadie Smith and the incredible Swanmore Dantina made history by earning the Superflex Inter I Freestyle Gold at the 2024 NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships.

The pair topped the scoreboard with a personal best score of 81.75%, about 8% better than runners-up Sara-Jane Lanning and Hawtins Lirica.

Sadie stated “I’ve only ever got over 80% once before”, “and the last couple of times I’ve done the freestyle I’ve had a few mistakes and I’ve been kicking myself. Today I really pushed for a clean test, with no mistakes, and it all came together.”

I have never sobbed at the end of an exam like that. "It makes me so emotional. I got to the end and I was like, 'I've done it,' and I just cried because days like this are so rare and I've been so lucky because she's been so successful."

The combination's sights are now firmly fixed on the grand prix: "I can't believe I have a horse like her; I'm so excited, I'm just going to take my time and wait until she's ready and strong enough to make that jump."